Calf weaner



July 3, 1951 w. KUES 2,559,018

CALF WEANER Filed May 19 1950 WZZzam [E4 5 Attorney Patented July 3; 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CALF WEANER,

William Kues, Waskish, Minn.

Application May 19, 1950, Serial No. 163,024

This invention relates to a novel construction of calf weaner of extremely simple construction which is adapted to be fastened around the nose of a calf to discourage sucking and which is so disposed that it will not interfere with the calf eating or grazing.

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a calf weaner including a piercing member which extends through the membrane or wall dividing the nostrils of the nose for mounting the device on the nose and the end portions of which piercing member form outwardly projecting spikes which are disposed to strike the body of another animal if the calf, on which the weaner is mounted, attempts to suck or nurse.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the calf weaner in an applied position;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the calf weaner, with a part thereof shown in section and on an enlarged scale, and

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the calf weaner in its entirety is designated generally 5 and includes a frame 6 formed of a curved strip of metal such as stainless steel or aluminum and which includes an arcuate intermediate portion 7 and corresponding end portions 8 which extend in diverging relationship to one another from said intermediate portion 1, as illustrated in Figure 2. Each of the end portions 8 is provided with an opening 9, said openings being disposed adjacent the intermediate portion 1 and spaced corresponding distances from the terminals of the end portions 8.

The frame 6 is adapted to fit across the nose and along the sides of the face of the calf above the mouth, as illustrated in Figure 1 wherein the head of a calf is shown at A. It will be noted that the intermediate portion I extends across the front of the nose and the end portions 8 extend therefrom along the sides of the face above the mouth.

An elongated piercing spike II], which is preferably of circular cross section and has corresponding tapered end portions I I forming piercing points I2, is of a diameter to slide freely through the openings 9. The piercing spike I0 is 4 Claims. (Cl. 119-132) curved or bowed from end to end thereof to an extent so that it may slide freely through the openings 9 and when disposed therein, as illustrated in Figure 2, is bowed in the opposite direction to the intermediate frame portion 1.

After the frame 6 is positioned on the calf, as previously described, one end of the spike I0 is passed inwardly through one of the openings 9 and toward the other opening 9 and is caused to pierce the membrane or wall dividing the nostrils of the nose of the calf, after which said end is passed outwardly through the other opening 9 and so that the pointed ends I2 of the spike I0 will be disposed substantially the same distances from the sides of the frame 6. The spike I0 is provided with two openings I3 which extend diametrically therethrough and which are preferably spaced approximately the same distancefrom the terminals or points I2. The openings I3 are spaced outwardly from the frame 6 when the spike III is applied, as just previously described and as illustrated in Figure 2, and each of said openings is adapted to receive a cotter pin or similar fastening I 4, which cotter pins form stops to prevent the portions of the spike I0 provided with said openings I3 from passing through the openings 9 to thus detachably connect the spike to the frame 6.

A spike I5 has one end suitably anchored in the intermediate portion I of the frame 6 and extends outwardly therefrom and each end portion 8, between its terminal and its opening 9, has an end of a spike I6 suitably anchored thereto and which spikes likewise project outwardly from the outer or convex side of the frame 6. The spikes I5 and I6 are disposed substantially perpendicular to the frame portions from which they project and are each provided with an outer end portion which is tapered to form a point H. The piercing prong or spike I0 is preferably formed of copper and the spikes I5 and I6 are preferably formed of stainless steel.

When the calf weaner 5 is applied as heretofore described, and as illustrated in Figure 1, it will be readily apparent that the spikes I5 and I6 will strike any animal which the calf attempts to suck to thus cause the animal to move away from the calf. The end portions II, I2 of the piercing prong or spike I0 and which are located between the spike I5 and the spikes I6 form additional spikes which function in the same manner and for the same purpose as the spikes I5 and I6. It will thus be seen that a calf weaner of extremely simple construction and which may be very economically manufactured has been prorigid metal strap forming a frame adapted to engage across the nose and along the sides of the face of a calf and including an arcuate intermediate portion disposed across the front of the nose and corresponding end portions which diverge from the ends of aid intermediate portion and which extend along the sides of the face, each of said end portions having an opening spaced a corresponding distance from its terminal and adjacent said arcuate intermediate portion, a piercing prong sized to slide freely through said openings and having a tapered pointed end forming a piercing point adapted to pierce the nose of a calf, stop means detachably engaging said piercing prong outwardly of the frame and retaining spaced portions of the prong in engagement with the frame openings, and the other end of the prong terminating in a tapered point, said pointed prong ends extending outwardly from the frame to form spikes to discourage sucking by the calf.

2. A calf weaner as in claim 1, said piercing prong being bowed longitudinally from end-to-end thereof, the intermediate portion of said piercing prong being bowed in a direction away from the intermediate frame portion when the prong is held in engagement with the frame openings by the stop means.

3. A calf weaner as in claim 1, said pointed ends of the piercing prong extending outwardly from the frame and being curved forwardly with respect thereto when the piercing prong is held in engagement with the frame by said stop means.

4. A calf weaner as in claim 1, said piercing prong being bowed longitudinally from end-toend thereof, the intermediate portion of said piercing prong being bowed in a direction away from the intermediate frame portion when the prong is held in engagement with the frame openings by the stop means to define a restricted space therebetween which tapers in width toward its ends and which is adapted to snugly accommodate a portion of the head of the calf dis- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,051,064 Benage Jan. 21, 1913 1,279,503 Black Sept. 24, 1918 1,560,285 Mittelstadt Nov. 3, 1925 1,598,902 Warner Q. Sept. '7, 1926 

